Idiot. I hope he had a great time explaining to his family why a 'social smoke' meant more to him than $130,000.

that's a bit simplistic. he didn't know he was gonna get 130k at the time. sure it was dumb, super-stupid thing to do knowing you have a chance to make a stack and also a good chance of testing positive, but not literally, 'i have in my hand a pipe... and in the other i have 130k... fuck it.'

I appreciate zuffa have to be tough and stick by what the regulators say, but putting forward 130k and then taking it back, off a silly mistake - but ultimately forgiveable act, is harsh. to give the bonuses is within their gift, they had the option of taking back a percentage. taking back the lot is moody.

they still have the tape of that wicked fight which i imagine they will sell in whatever format forever anyway. maybe if they are so keen to send a clear message they should delete it from the DVD etc. are they gonna do that? no, course not.

I'm defending a man who beat Paul Daley and Dan Hardy when a shot at the main stage was within grasp for them years ago, years before UFC came to the UK. i have resented him for years off the back of that - real talk lol - but i wouldn't wish this level of severity on anyone.

general point not directed at any individuals - if life is so black and white for you that you don't feel any sympathy for this fella, dunno what to say. or care what i hear.

that's a bit simplistic. he didn't know he was gonna get 130k at the time. sure it was dumb, super-stupid thing to do knowing you have a chance to make a stack and also a good chance of testing positive, but not literally, 'i have in my hand a pipe... and in the other i have 130k... fuck it.'

I appreciate zuffa have to be tough and stick by what the regulators say, but putting forward 130k and then taking it back, off a silly mistake - but ultimately forgiveable act, is harsh. to give the bonuses is within their gift, they had the option of taking back a percentage. taking back the lot is moody.

they still have the tape of that wicked fight which i imagine they will sell in whatever format forever anyway. maybe if they are so keen to send a clear message they should delete it from the DVD etc. are they gonna do that? no, course not.

I'm defending a man who beat Paul Daley and Dan Hardy when a shot at the main stage was within grasp for them years ago, years before UFC came to the UK. i have resented him for years off the back of that - real talk lol - but i wouldn't wish this level of severity on anyone.

general point not directed at any individuals - if life is so black and white for you that you don't feel any sympathy for this fella, dunno what to say. or care what i hear.

Can't speak for everyone here but I imagine a lot of this is just frustration.
He had an amazing win, won a boat load of cash in bonuses but blew it. Gutted for him, but he has brought it on himself.

This isn't just some mate you're having a smoke with after the pub on a Saturday night.
This is a pro fighter. This was the biggest fight of his life. Plus he knew the risks if he got caught as there have been others caught before him, but still he had a smoke.

Harsh considering Vitor is allowed to fight out of Brazil just so he can TRT himself stupid after abusing the shit out of roids previously...Its a fucking joke really but...Healy knew the deal, took the chance and got caught out, whilst I totally don't agree with pot needing to be tested for, whilst it is, just lay off the stuff fighters ffs. Have a toke right after your fight, not whilst training for it!

I have sympathy, but it's more for the dude's family who are missing out on the windfall of their lives because of this. It's a forgivable action, of course. But if eating apples was banned and he ate an apple before his fight, I'd have equally as little sympathy. That money could have been a college fund, a deposit on a house/gym or retirement fund.

It can be argued that there is a grey area when a fighter unknowingly ingests something in a supplement (although they are ultimate responsible for what's in their body). Then you have the issue of fighters with medical marijuana cards who 'need' to smoke (although I'm told that almost anyone can get hold of a MM card with ease). But that's not what we're dealing with here - Pat had a social smoke. Just for the hell of it. I can't have sympathy for a professional athlete that tempts fate like that. It sucks for the guy, for sure. But it's his own fault for being an idiot.

As I understand it, he'll not get any of the discretionary bonuses the UFC pays out either. Will he even get his win bonus? Either way, regardless of the FotN and SotN stuff, he knew that getting caught would take a chunk out of his salary.

If you're a pro fighter, you've a small amount of time in which to earn your money. If you can't abstain completely, abstain before your fights. If even that's too much, then fair play to you, do your thing. I just don't understand anyone thinking "Oooh, poor chap" when someone makes that choice.